By the time his career ends, Pete Thomas will have made starts under center for three different Football Bowl Subdivision programs: Colorado State, North Carolina State and Louisiana-Monroe.

Two schools? That's nothing. Quarterbacks have been transferring since time immemorial: Troy Aikman started at Oklahoma before heading to UCLA, for example. In recent years, Ryan Mallett began his career at Michigan, didn't like the direction of Rich Rodriguez's offense and left for Arkansas; Russell Wilson started for N.C. State before spending his last season at Wisconsin.

But three schools? Only one other notable quarterback comes close: Jeff George started at Purdue as a freshman, left after a coaching change – like Mallett, he didn't like the new offense – and looked toward Miami (Fla.), only to back out of his commitment after failing to be assured of the starting role. George ended up at Illinois, and the rest is history.

Starting at three different FBS schools is an achievement made possible only by the NCAA's graduate-transfer policy, which allowed Thomas to hop from Raleigh to Monroe without losing a season of eligibility. Will the third time be the charm for this former four-star prospect?

Well, it's either in 2014 or not at all – because there's no tomorrow for Thomas, now on his last shot at fulfilling that four-star potential. Let's remember he arrives at the right time: Todd Berry and ULM desperately need a quarterback.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION:

As it is, based on ULM's talent and experience and the direction of the program, anything less than seven wins would be a major surprise. Getting back to eight wins should be the program's goal, and an extremely attainable one at that. Even if the final record remains the same, I think this is a stronger team than last year's version.

2013 RECAP:

In a nutshell: Disappointing? Yeah, a little bit. ULM did beat Wake Forest, though the Deacons were a mess, and capped the year with a satisfying rivalry win against Louisiana-Lafayette. But the Warhawks also failed to sniff Oklahoma and Baylor, losing both by a combined 104-7, and suffered four additional losses by 17 or more points. It was a struggle on defense. Five opponents rushed for at least 200 yards; six averaged at least 5.9 yards per play; three pulled the 200-yard double-dip – rushing for at least 200 yards, passing for at least 200 yards. But the steepest decline came on offense, where ULM slid from third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring – and 31st in the FBS – to seventh, next-to-last, ahead of only Georgia State.

High point: Beating ULL in the finale. There are worse ways to develop some confidence before the offseason.

Low point: Uncompetitive defeats to Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and South Alabama.

Tidbit: The Warhawks' last two teams are the first in the program's FBS history – beginning in 1994 – to post back-to-back non-losing seasons. In all, the 14 victories since the start of 2012 are the program's most during a two-year span since going 19-6 from 1992-93.

Tidbit (Heisman edition): ULM has won 12 of its last 14 games when scoring 27 or more points, a streak dating to a 42-14 win against Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 12, 2011. The two losses have come against major-conference competition, and by less than a touchdown: Auburn (31-28) on Sept. 15, 2012, and Baylor (47-42) on Sept. 21, 2012.

Offense: Don't question the physical gifts: Pete Thomas can make every throw in the book, though making the right throw – and there's clearly a huge difference – has long been an issue. Thomas has struggled thus far in his career translating his skill set into production, often causing self-inflicted wounds in a parade of mental missteps; at N.C. State, for example, he tossed nine interceptions against four touchdowns before quickly falling out of favor with Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack's new coaching staff. At ULM, however, Thomas is given fresh life and a fresh start, not to mention a strong tutor in Berry – a coach who transformed Kolton Browning from up-and-down frustration to one of the Sun Belt's best quarterbacks. Doing the same with Thomas might be a stretch, given the shortened timeline before the opener, but look for Thomas to quickly open up the full breakdown of ULM's offense in the passing game; he's easily an upgrade over the holdovers, for starters, and could fulfill his promise in a friendly system. He's one of the more intriguing transfers in the FBS.

Thomas will enjoy playing with these receivers. One, junior Rashon Ceaser (65 receptions for 964 yards), is already one of the best in the conference: Ceaser excelled last fall – particularly down the stretch – despite landing little assistance from his supporting cast and even as ULM dealt with injuries under center, so he could significantly increase his production with the strong-armed transfer under center – perhaps finding lanes downfield, stretching the borders of this offense. Ceaser does need some help, however, so keep an eye on how senior Kenzee Jackson (25 for 271) and sophomore Ajalen Holley (21 for 266) contribute against single coverage. Keep another eye on the newcomers: ULM's two-deep will include at least two redshirt freshmen – De'Vonte Haggerty and Andrew Ricks the most likely to play – and at least one JUCO transfer, perhaps three-star prospect Dylan Bossier. I like the tight end combination of Harley Scioneaux and Alex Osborne, with Scioneaux an asset in the running game – and in the red zone – and Osborne a potential weapon in the intermediate passing game.

Centarius Donald is the Warhawks' leading returning rusher after a 433-yard season in 2013.(Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

The running game needs to step forward – with some help from the big linemen up front. The search for more consistency on the ground takes added importance with Thomas under center; he's not overly mobile, for one, and the Warhawks need production on the ground to push defenders out of the box and open lanes downfield. While the Warhawks lose Jryuss Edwards, experienced backs Centarius Donald (433 yards) and DeVontae McNeal (205 yards) shouldn't struggle recouping that lost yardage. The key might be the play of junior Tyler Cain, who could grant this running game a degree of explosiveness in a change-of-pace role. A similar spot could exist for sophomore Nathan Meadors, who got his feet wet in limited touches a season ago.

Defense: Troy Reffett's unorthodox 3-3-5 scheme needs to rebound. With five starters among the front six back in the fold, Reffett can turn his attention to the secondary: ULM's defensive backfield needs to relocate its stride after a decidedly up-and-down 2013 season. What's of specific concern is the hole at safety, where the Warhawks look to replace Isaiah Newsome – the team's most disruptive defensive back – with one of three raw underclassmen. As of the start of summer workouts, sophomore Justin Backus held the lead in the race for the starting role. Fellow sophomore Tre' Hunter and redshirt freshmen Roland Jenkins still have enough time to push Backus out of the lineup.

What should aid the new starter's transition – let's just assume it'll be Backus – are two experienced fellow safeties and a solid number of options at cornerback. Along the back end, ULM also returns junior Mitch Lane (53 tackles) and senior Cordero Smith (63 tackles), the unquestioned starters, as well as backups Junior Williams and Bryce Ray. Reffett could also shift sophomore Lenzy Pipkins from cornerback back to safety, where he spent last season; Pipkins is viewed as a starter on the outside, however. There's a clear top three at cornerback: Pipkins, junior Trey Caldwell and senior Rob'Donovan Lewis. What the Warhawks need is a boost from at least one of three redshirt freshmen jostling for roles in the rotation – they're promising, if raw, and Reffett has does a nice job developing talent at the position.

The linebacker corps is very solid despite the loss of Cameron Blakes, last year's leading tackler. Despite losing Blakes, ULM's production at the position should improve if junior Michael Johnson adapts to his full-time role in the starting lineup; Johnson spent last year mostly in reserve, stepping in for three starts, and fared solidly when given the opportunity. Why is Johnson important? Because Reffett and ULM know junior Hunter Kissinger (73 tackles, 3 interceptions) and senior Ray Stovall (49 tackles, 11.0 for loss) are going to deliver: Kissinger and Stovall are steady, reliable and experienced, giving the defense two clear leaders among this seasoned front six.

Nothing will change up front: Darius Lively (25 tackles) and Joey Gautney (33 tackles, 6.5 for loss) step back into starting jobs at end, flanking junior nose tackle Gerrand Johnson (56 tackles, 11.0 for loss) – the latter a strong all-conference contender. What might separate this year's line from last season's version – a group that ran off the rails against the run – is the increased degree of depth and athleticism in reserve. Depth in the middle won't be an issue, not with senior Malcolm Edmond back in the fold, but the Warhawks' Jacob Tyson, Diontre Thomas, Lorenzo Jackson and Jackson Randle have the talent to add burst and production in a smaller sample size. This younger group has much to prove – and must develop to take charge in 2015 – but the potential is there for a distinctly improved rotation.

Special teams: Ceaser doubles as one of the Sun Belt's most effective punt returners. On kickoffs, it's only logical that Cain would reclaim some of the return duties he held in 2012, his last season of action with the Warhawks. Senior Justin Manton is a huge weapon as a punter but not trustworthy in the kicking game; he still seems set to handle both tasks this fall, as he did a season ago.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH:

Offensive line: It's not as much about the starting lineup – which seems set, or nearing that point – as overall production: ULM's front was subpar in protection and extremely inefficient in the ground game, leaving the Warhawks among the bottom third in the Sun Belt in both sacks allowed and rushing yards per game. With a new quarterback under center, it's vital that ULM land a stiffer, fenced-in mentality on passing downs; when it comes first and second down, this line simply must land more push off the line of scrimmage. While only two starters must be replaced – at left guard and center – the staff spent the spring shuffling responsibilities among the returning core. Senior Joseph Treadwell moves from left to right tackle, a shift that pushes senior Jeremy Burton into the top spot on the blind side. Senior Ben Risenhoover has flopped from right to left guard, replacing Jon Fisher. With Treadwell on the strong side, senior Demiere Burkett will move inside to right guard. That leaves only center, where former backup Colby Mitchell, a junior, steps up a peg to replace Josh Allen. Experience? ULM has that in spades; four seniors are in the starting lineup, as noted. It's on this group to deliver, and much rides in the balance.

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Sun Belt title goes through the Ragin' Cajuns. That one comes at home, one of five dates in the friendly confines, but the road slate is difficult: LSU, Arkansas State, Kentucky and Texas A&M, along with three winnable matchups. Though the non-conference record shouldn't be pretty – the drawback of playing three SEC foes – the Warhawks should have little difficulty dealing with the Sun Belt's bottom half.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION:

In a nutshell: The Warhawks are a difficult team to peg. It's easy to place ULM in the top half of the Sun Belt, if only by default; the conference is anything but deep, thanks to a few recent additions, and ULM Is leaps and bounds ahead of Georgia State, Idaho and New Mexico State, to name a few. But does ULM have what it takes to challenge the league's top half – Arkansas State, Troy, South Alabama and, of course, rival Louisiana-Lafayette? And where do the Warhawks slot nationally, if we compare this roster, talent level and experience to programs also hunting for six wins and a spot in the postseason? This is an interesting team; it's also a group that's hard to lock down.

I'm a little cautious. Begin by considering the areas that will decide the Warhawks' season. The first is quarterback play: Thomas is a really nice addition, but he'll need to prove those days of errors and missteps are a thing of the past if this offense plans on stepping forward. The line is experienced – those four senior starters – but a question mark, due to last year's unproductivity. Tied into the line is the play of the backfield and running game, which must produce to give Thomas and this passing game a boost. Defensively, the Warhawks' degree of success inside and out of Sun Belt play hinges largely on the pass rush and the secondary; there's no reason to expect a huge leap in production, though the group seems solidly built.

So ULM seems stuck in the middle, separated from the potential for four or seven wins by the slimmest of margins – seven wins if Thomas delivers, for example, but four wins if he falls flat. My take? The Warhawks seem a touch more likely to fall short of six wins than reach bowl eligibility. Part of that stems from the schedule, which does add four major-conference programs in addition to the Sun Belt slate. A six-win finish would demand a strong start against teams like Arkansas State and Troy, and I wonder if this slightly retooled team hits its stride before midseason.

Nightmare season: The Warhawks beat only Idaho, Georgia Southern and New Mexico State.

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 86? This team is 6-8 in its history when either scoring or allowing 36 points.

RANKING EVERY FBS TEAM FOR 2014

No. 128 UMass: The Minutemen have a new coach, Mark Whipple, but the same outlook on what should be a dismal 2014 season. Even in a Mid-American Conference without viable contenders outside the top four, UMass is a long shot to win more than one game during the regular season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 127 Florida International: One season after playing the worst football of its Football Bowl Subdivision existence, FIU attempts to rebound under second-year coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers would need to take three significant steps forward to merely contend in Conference USA. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 126 Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton steps into Ypsilanti and assumes one of the toughest coaching jobs in the country. The Eagles’ new coach will have a promising young quarterback to work with but not much else. It’s going to be another down season for EMU. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 125 Georgia State: Georgia State is no longer the worst program in the country, which is a good start. Next, GSU must embrace Trent Miles’ approach on both sides of the ball while the staff adds talent on the recruiting trail. The future might still hold promise, but this year’s team is only slightly improved compared to last year’s version. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 124 Georgia Southern: One of the nation’s newest Football Bowl Subdivision brings a history of success and last year’s win against Florida to the table. But Georgia Southern is still undergoing a coaching change while adapting to the heightened level of competition, two factors that set the bar low for 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 123 Hawaii: The goodwill has run out on Norm Chow, who has coached Hawaii through its worst two-year stretch in decades. To improve, the Warriors need to locate a quarterback and find a pulse on defense to match with the rest of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 122 Miami (Ohio): A program built on a history of successful coaching hires now hands the reins to former Notre Dame assistant Chuck Martin. While he’s an upgrade on the sidelines, Martin is going to need at least two years to rebuild the RedHawks from the bottom up. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 121 Idaho:
Paul Petrino’s fiery style and offensive mindset has fit well into the Vandals’ underdog mentality, but drive and hunger will only get you so far without the talent needed to win more than three games during the regular season. Idaho’s offense is better, but the team as a whole still lags. That talent took another hit on July 20 when Dezmon Epps (1) was kicked off the team in the wake of a DUI. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 120 UAB: This program is excited about its potential under Bill Clark, who replaces Garrick McGee, but Clark has his hands full with a roster and program beaten down by a miserable decade. If the Blazers do exceed expectations, Clark’s ability to maximize his roster will be the cause. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 119 Appalachian State: This program moves up a level after a surprisingly ineffective final year in the Football Championship Subdivision. To rebound, the Mountaineers need to rely on a pair of sophomores at quarterback and running back. While the promise is there, the first year could be ugly. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 118 Army: Go Army, beat Navy. But first, the Cadets must prove they can beat any team on the 2014 schedule. A coaching change helps, but Todd Monken needs to roll up his sleeves and bring back some toughness to a program too accustomed to season-ending losses to the rival Midshipmen. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 117 Western Michigan: P.J. Fleck and the Western Michigan staff can recruit, but can they coach? The jury’s still out after a 1-11 season, and even if talent is on the way it’s hard to imagine the new freshmen immediately reversing the Broncos’ slide to the bottom of the Mid-American Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 116 California: Cal’s shortage of talent, experience and depth makes the Golden Bears the weakest major-conference program in the country. Playing in the Pac-12 doesn’t help. In terms of a positive, Sonny Dykes has found his quarterback and has accumulated enough receivers to make this passing game work. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 115 New Mexico State: The schedule will paint a better picture, but New Mexico State remains one of the weaker programs in the country. Even if the Aggies squeeze out four wins, they are devoid of the sort of difference-making talent to contend for a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 114 UTEP: The Miners need to remain healthy after a season ravaged by injuries. Second-year coach Sean Kugler can’t control injuries, but he’s on the hook for one of the worst defenses in college football. Helping matters is an offense led by quarterback Jameill Showers, but it won’t be enough. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 113 Southern Mississippi: With a long losing streak over, the Golden Eagles can look forward to this fall on a high note. Optimism helps, but to regain a foothold in Conference USA the Eagles must do a better job protecting the football and limiting big plays on defense. The outlook is still pessimistic. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 112 Kansas: Charlie Weis enters his third year at Kansas with little hope of bringing the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 cellar. The offense lacks skill players, has no help up front and a rookie at quarterback. The defense could be a nice story, but only if the pass rush improves. As is, KU is the weakest team in the league. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 111 UNLV: The team must continue last year’s push without the opportunity to reach another bowl game, thanks to an NCAA postseason ban. While the talent is there, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels could struggle matching last season’s finish without any hopes of playing into December. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 110 New Mexico: Three years after his arrival, Bob Davie has successfully added the depth needed to reach the postseason. But New Mexico’s questionable defense, shortage of experience on both sides of the ball and lack of balance on defense should prevent the Lobos from breaking through to six wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 109 Tulane: The program's biggest issue will be the increased level of difficulty with the move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Another concern is a roster that lacks the experience and proven production needed to run with teams like UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 108 Purdue: This team is at least another full season away from being considered more than an afterthought in the Big Ten. One issue is talent: Purdue has none. Another is the feeling that this program is headed on a downturn due to years of coaching missteps and mismanagement. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

107 Kent State: With big gaps in the backfield and defensive tackle, Kent State will need a team effort to move back into bowl play. That won’t happen unless the offense locates a receiver, the defense lands a pass rush and the team as a whole lucks into one or two upset wins. The Golden Flashes are headed for a four-win season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 106 Old Dominion: ODU is the best first-year Football Bowl Subdivision program in recent history, if that means anything. What the Monarchs do well is move the ball offensively; what they do poorly is play defense. While Old Dominion has the foundation to eventually succeed, the first season is always the hardest. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 105 Wake Forest: First-year coach Dave Clawson is familiar with rebuilding projects, which should come in handy as he takes over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are too young to contend on either side of the ball against the best teams in the ACC, but things might need to get worse before they get better. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 104 Kentucky: The Wildcats’ recruiting efforts yielded one of the nation’s best classes in February, but those incoming freshmen will need at least a season or two to get a taste of the Southeastern Conference. While Kentucky’s future remains bright, Mark Stoops and his staff need at least one more mulligan before being viewed by wins and losses. Look for more of the latter in 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 103 Wyoming: Landing one of the top Football Championship Subdivision coaches in history made this a successful offseason. Whether it’ll be a successful regular season depends on whether or not Craig Bohl can work miracles with this roster. Bohl’s a great hire, but no coach in the country could lead the Cowboys to the top of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 102 Air Force: A down season led Air Force to recommit itself to competition. That should lead to the best 22 players starting on both sides of the ball, but it won’t be enough to totally overhaul a defense fresh off the worst season in program history. The Falcons should be happy with four or five wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 101 Colorado: Colorado’s a four-win team in the Pac-12, one of two in the conference without a realistic hope of reaching bowl eligibility. That’s a negative, but the program’s recent growth points to a bright future. That breakthrough is coming in 2015, however. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 100 SMU: The Mustangs need a jolt of energy after a sluggish 2013 season. Unfortunately, the offense lost its top receivers and the defense is dangerously young in the secondary. Combined, SMU looks like one of the bottom three teams in the American Athletic Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 99 Iowa State: The Mark Mangino-led offense might be good enough to steal an upset during Big 12 play, but the defense ensures another season of nine or more losses for the Cyclones. In total, Iowa State has the league’s worst defense from top to bottom. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 98 Rutgers: This team is going to struggle at first in joining the Big Ten, if only due to a nasty schedule, but the real test will be whether or not the program can regain some footing and eventually challenge for footing in the East Division. When it comes to 2014, the Scarlet Knights are headed for eight losses. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 97 Florida Atlantic: South Florida-raised Charlie Partridge returns to his old stomping grounds with a reputation as a dogged and tireless recruiter of the region's fertile base. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 96 Memphis: The coaching is in place, the losing mentality has been reversed and the roster has been rebuilt, but Memphis remains a year away from ending its long and painful absence from the postseason. One reason is a brutal schedule. Another is the lack of depth nearly across the board, which could cause the Tigers to fall apart if injuries are an issue during the second half. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 95 Virginia: This program's defense might be good enough to lead the Cavaliers to four or five wins during the regular season, but a young offense and a general lack of confidence could doom 2014 before the start of ACC play. If UVa does again find itself at or near the bottom of the conference, the university might opt to make a coaching change. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 94 Akron: If no longer the doormat of the Mid-American Conference, Akron remains a season away from reaching bowl eligibility under Coach Terry Bowden. While the Zips have talent and confidence, the lack of experience and depth will be an issue against the better teams on the 2014 schedule. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 92 South Florida: Willie Taggart's blueprint for South Florida has been recruiting, as his latest class doubled as the best in the American Athletic Conference. But the team needs coaching; it needs leadership, conviction and a sense of identity, and it definitely needs a quarterback. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 91 Texas State: Unsatisfied with six wins, Texas State spent the offseason installing an up-tempo offense and a new aggressive style on defense. In the long run, these changes will help the Bobcats get over the hump and contend for the Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2014, however, the Bobcats should struggle in the transition to the new philosophies. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 90 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers and Jeff Brohm begin play in Conference USA with a questionable passing game and nine new full-time starters on defense. While the Hilltoppers should be competitive in Conference USA, it should take a year for the program to solve its issues on both sides of the ball. (Photo: Jim Brown, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 89 Arkansas: A dreadful passing game and holes on defense will doom
Arkansas to another losing season. Then there’s the schedule, which ranks among
the most difficult for any team in the country. The Razorbacks need at least
one more year before they make noise in the SEC West Division.
<o:p></o:p> (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 88 North Carolina State: The Wolfpack is counting on a collection of campus newcomers and a former star recruit turned transfer - Jacoby Brissett - for a turnaround in 2014. (Photo: Rob Kinnan, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 85 Central Michigan:
Running back Saylor Lavallii (6) is one of the reasons the Chippewas are one of the most experienced teams in the MAC. But they also have questions at a number of positions, including quarterback. (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 84 Illinois:
Running back Donovonn Young (5) and the Fighting Illini tend to be unpredictable in their performance, but they have high hopes that solid quarterbacking will provide a quick reversal of fortune in 2014. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 83 Tulsa:
End Brentom Todd and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball may have to carry a little extra load as the Golden Hurricane offense rights itself in 2014. (Photo: Beth Hall, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 82 Nevada:Defensive end Rykeem Yates (55) and the Wolf Pack are aiming for a drastic improvement in run defense in 2014. And a return to the Nevada running game production of the past would help, too. (Photo: Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 81 Boston College:
Eagles defensive back Sean Sylvia (19) is part of a secondary that needs to click quickly in 2014. But fortunately for B.C. other aspects of its team don't have a lot of questions, just growing expectations. (Photo: Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 78 West Virginia:
The Mountaineers had a severely disappointing season in 2013, but with players with the talent of cornerback Daryl Worley dotting the roster, a turnaround in 2014 would not be surprising. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 76 San Jose State:
Thomas Tucker (3) and San Jose State have the talent to contend for the Mountain West title, but the Spartans will have to resolve a big question at quarterback get a performance out of its new 4-3 defense that is worthy of its talent. (Photo: Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 70: Middle Tennessee State
The Blue Raiders have perhaps Conference USA's best linebacker in T.T. Barber (38), but they will need to match their efficiency at stopping the run with their new commitment to an offensive run attack. (Photo: Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 69 Indiana:
The Hoosiers have an overhauled receiving corps, but its offensive line and backfield led by Tevin Coleman (6) gives Indiana one of the Big Ten's best attacks for 2014. (Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 67 Minnesota:
Though the Golden Gophers are strong on the run, quarterback Mitch Leidner (7) will need to get the passing game uncorked for the team to maximize its results this season. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 66 Utah:
The Utes are unsettled at many positions, adding value to the steady performance provided by players such as Dres Anderson (6), a 1,000-yard receiver in 2013. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 65 North Texas:
Antoinne Jimmerson (22) and teammates Reggie Pegram and Rex Rollins form a stout backfield for the Mean Green, which will rely on them heavily while sorting out its quarterback situation. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)